Rolling mill construction

ABSTRACT

A ROLLING MILL, ESPECIALLY A WIRE ROLLING MILL HAVING OVERHUNG ROLL DISKS INCLUDES DRIVE SHAFTS WHICH ARE ARRANGED AT 90* TO EACH OTHER ON A STAND IN WHICH THE MOUNTINGS EXTEND 45* ABOVE THE HORIZONTAL AND 45* BELOW THE HORIZONTAL AND THUS PROVIDES A COMPACT ARRANGEMENT WHICH PERMITS EASY EXHANGE OF THE ROLL DISKS WITHOUT OBSTRUCTION. THE SHAFTS WHICH CARRY THE ROLL DISKS ARE MOUNTED IN ROCKER ARMS WHICH ARE POSITIONED BY SETTING MEMBERS IN THE FORM OF INTENGAGEABLE WEDGE ELEMENTS. THE WEDGE ELEMENTS ARE EACH MOUNTED ON A CONTROL MEMBER WHICH MAY BE MOVED SIMULTANEOUSLY TO PROVIDE A SYMMETRICALLY ACTING MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE ROLL GAP BETWEEN THE ROLL DISKS.

Oct. 5, 1971 H. WEBER 3,610,014

ROLLING MILL CONSTRUCTION Filed April 1, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor 654175 5552 4 TTMIVEB Oct. 5, 1971 H. WEBER ROLL ING MILL CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 1. 1969 Inventor M44 5 IVA-8E0.

Arronmfs United States Patent Ofice 3,610,014 Patented Oct. 5, 1971 3,610,014 ROLLING MILL CONSTRUCTION Hans Weber, Duisburg, Germany, assiguor to Demag A.G., Duisburg, Germany Filed Apr. 1, 1969, Ser. No. 811,792 Int. Cl. B21b 31 30 U.S. Cl. 72-244 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A rolling mill, especially a wire rolling mill having overhung roll disks includes drive shafts which are arranged at 90 to each other on a stand in which the mountings extend 45 above the horizontal and 45 below the horizontal and thus provides a compact arrangement which permits easy exchange of the roll disks without obstruction. The shafts which carry the roll disks are mounted in rocker arms which are positioned by setting members in the form of interengageable wedge elements. The wedge elements are each mounted on a control member which may be moved simultaneously to provide a symmetrically acting means for adjusting the roll gap between the roll disks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to a construction of rolling mills and, in particular, to a new and useful rolling mill particularly for wire which includes a signal stand having overhanging roll disks and drive shafts which are arranged 45 above and below the horizontal.

It is customary to build the stands of the finishing train of a wire mill in the form of an HV-arrangement. This means that the working rolls are arranged alternately, one horizontally and the next vertically. Such arrangements require a relatively high expenditure and the constructional differences between horizontal and vertical stands make it impossible to standardize or unify the stand members. The numerous separate designs of such stands require relatively high developmental and manufacturing costs as well as a similar investment in the rolling mills. In addition, the requirements for storing, and repair and maintenance of such stands is expensive.

In order to avoid these disadvantages, it has been suggested that the construction of the stands can be simplified and, in respect to multi-stand trains, this is an advantage because only one stand of rolls of a given type will be necessary for all of the respective working rolls. Such rolling mills differ from the conventional design because they have no pronounced ordinary roll stands but both are built into a base frame and mounted so as to be overhung. Each stand of rolls can also be used as horizontal and vertical stands. The shafts of the rolls are mounted in self-aligning roller bearings which take up the radial forces and two each are arranged on the side of the rolls and one on the side of the drive.

The axial engagement of the shaft of the rolls in its vertical position roll stand is effected by means of a worm gear having a wheel at the extension of its hub which is developed as a helical spur gear. The radial engagement of the idle roll is effected through shifting of the upper part of the stand on the base frame. The shifting is effected by means of a worm gear. The upper part of this stand is carried on the detachable prism bars which may be inserted and anchored in position by suitable screw elements.

When the rolling mill is to be used as a horizontal stand the vertical guide is removed. The stand is then turned by 90 and mounted and fastened by screws on a bedplate lying next to or behind it. The stand of rolls is advantageously movable on a bedplate in order to achieve the settin gof a new caliber and this movement is carried out by motor-driven worm gear. Such an arrangement contributes to the extensive simplification of the make up of the roll stand but a weak point of such a construction is the overhung mounting of the working rolls. In addition, such an arrangement does not reach the quality of the construction in which the rolls are mounted on both sides, particularly since the accuracy in the dimensioning of the rolled material stands is in direct relation to the stability of the mounting of the rolls.

A further disadvantage is the inaccessability of the rolls. The main drive motor which must be flanged onto the gears and which extends far into the operating room proves to be a major obstruction.

In accordance with the present invention, the disadvantages of the prior art construction are overcome and there is provided an improved overhung mounting of the rolls. In addition, the invention provides means for constructing the stands of rolls in a compact and simple manner such that the rolls will not require a time-consuming changeover and such that horizontally and vertically mounted rolls may be combined into a uniform block.

For this purpose, the shafts carrying the roll disks are each mounted on a rocker arm which may pivot about a point which corresponds to the center of rotation of the axes of the associated drive gears. Associated with each rocker arm, are two setting members which are coupled in their movements for symmetrization of the roll gap and which engage the rocker arms to provide a corresponding symmetrical shifting thereof. The construction may be arranged such that a single setting member may be operated to set each rocker arm.

In the preferred arrangement, the construction includes a plurality of wedge elements which is adapted to engage against wedging surfaces defined on the respective rocker arms and which may be simultaneously shifted by rotation of a single threaded spindle member. One of the wedge members is advantageously located between the two rocker arms so that its axial adjustment provides a corresponding shifting of each of the rocker arms for each roll disk shaft. The wedge elements are advantageously prestressed against a portion of the associated rocker arm or arms by a spring or hydraulic biasing means.

In the preferred arrangement, in which a single exterior wedge bears against each outer surface of an associated rocker arm and a central wedge is employed to bear against corresponding inwardly bearing wedge surfaces of each of the associated rocker arms, the angle of inclination of the center wedge relative to the angle of inclination of the outer wedges is of a different size. In addition, the angles of inclination of all of the wedges, as well as the threads of their adjusting spindles and the transmissions of the worm gears for operating the spindles are so matched with one another that, in spite of differing points of engagement, of the wedges on the respective rocker arms, there is always a synchronous course of movement of the roll shafts so that a roll gap is adjusted uniformly.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a roll stand which includes roll shafts mounting overhung roll disks and which are carried in rocker arms which may be pivoted for adjusting the gap between the roll stands, the rocker arms being arranged to bear against wedge elements which may be shifted by setting means to provide a corresponding adjustment of each roll shaft for adjusting the roll gap.

A further object of the invention is to provide a roll stand construction which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 2 and a partial elevational view of a roll stand construction in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the roll stand; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the driving mechanism for the roll stands.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied therein comprises a roll stand generally designated 1 which includes roll shafts A and B carrying roll disks 2 and 2a, respectively. These shafts are mounted on rocker arms 3 and 3a, respectively, which are rotatably carried on drive shafts D and C, respectively.

In accordance with the invention, in order to synchronize and symmetrize the roll gap adjustment the invention provides wedge adjustment means which includes outer adjusting wedges 4 and 4b and a central adjusting wedge element 4a. Each wedge is arranged to bear against a corresponding pressure plate or counter wedge element 5, 5a and 5b, respectively, which are carried on portions of the associated rocker arm 3 and 3a. The center wedge 4a simultaneously bears against two separate pressure plates 5a and 5a of the associated rocker arms 3 and 3a. The wedge 4a is prestressed against the pressure plates 5a, 5a by means of plate spring 6 which are arranged around a threaded spindle 8.

The wedge elements, 4, 4a and 4b may be shifted synchronously or simultaneously in order to symmetrize the setting of the roll gap by engaging pins 9a and 9b of a shaft 9 to cause rotation of worm wheels 7, 7a and 7b which engage with respective spindles 8, 8a and 8b to produce a corresponding rotation thereof. The threaded spindles 8, 8a and 8b are enclosed at their outer ends by covers 10, 10a and 10b which are mounted on lug portions la, 1b and 1c of the rolling stand 1.

The angle of inclination of the center wedge 4a differs in size from the angles of inclination of the two outer wedges 4, and 4b. In addition, the threads of the associated spindles 8, 8a and 8b and the transmissions of the worm gears 7, 7a and 7b are so matched with one another that despite the differing points of engagement of the wedges, against the respective pressure plates 5, 5a and 5b, it will always be a synchronous movement of the roll shafts A and B to effect a uniform roll gap setting.

As shown in FIG. 2, the drive shafts -11 and 11a are staggered by 90 relative to each other and they face away from the servicing side and do not provide any obstructions when the roll disks are changed. The known drive arrangement of the drive at an angle of 90 is possible but the stand is still short and compact and thus space-saving.

As indicated in FIG. 3, the fiuX of force of the drive is drawn in the form of lines of force. The flux of force passes from the drive shaft D, the drive gear K the shaft C having gear K through the gear K to the shaft A. The flux of force for the lower roll disk 2a goes from the drive shaft D gear K and gear K to the shaft B. The arrow designated 30 indicates the flux force from the drive.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and-described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the 4 invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A rolling mill, in particular for use in connection with manufacturing of wire and like elongated material, having a mounting stand, respective drive shafts carried by said stand and imparting rotation to roll shafts on which a pair of roll disks are mounted, respectively; comprising, in combination, first and second rocker arms mounted for pivotal movement about said drive shafts, first gear transmission means seated on said drive shafts and on said roll shafts and in permanent mesh with each other during rocker arm movements, a plurality of setting elements operatively acting on said first and second rocker arms to adjust the latter about said drive shafts for respective predetermined positions to each other and with respect to said roll disks, thereby to effectuate a definite roll gap between said roll disks, and respective operable means carried by said mounting stand and adapted to move said setting elements for said roll gap, said operable means including rotatable spindle means, second gear transmission means in engagement with said spindle means, respectively, said setting elements forming respective wedge members which are of a size and said second gear transmission means and said spindle means being of a construction such that despite different points of engagement of said wedge members with the associated rocker arms a synchronous course of movement of said roll disks will be achieved for obtaining a predetermined roll disk gap.

2. A rolling mill according to claim 1, wherein said setting elements include at least two movable wedge mem bers arranged at two different locations on and engaged by said first and second rocker arms, respectively, said second gear transmission means synchronizing the move ment of said setting elements, respectively.

3. A rolling mill according to claim 2, wherein said two wedge members act in opposite directions on respective rocker arms to retain said rocker arms in predetermined positions to each other.

4. A rolling mill according to claim 2, including a central wedge member having a wedge surface bearing outwardly in opposite directions to each other on said rocker arms, respectively.

5. A rolling mill according to claim 4, including biasing means located between said mounting stand and said central wedge member.

'6. A rolling mill according to claim 5, wherein said biasing means are constituted by leaf spring means, said central wedge member being different in size from each of said first-named two wedge members.

7. In a rolling mill, in particular for use in connection with wire manufacturing, having a mounting stand, respective drive shafts carried by said stand and imparting rotation via gear means to roll shafts on which a pair of roll disks are mounted, respectively; first and second rocker arms mounted for pivotal movement about said drive shafts, a plurality of setting elements operatively acting on said first and second rocker arms to adjust the latter about said drive shafts and to maintain said rocker arms at respective predetermined positions to each other and with respect to said roll disks, thereby to effectuate the roll gap clearance between said roll disks, and respective operable means carried by said mounting stand and adapted to move said setting elements for said roll gap clearance, said operable means including rotatable spindle means, a worm gear in engagement with a respective one of said spindle means, said setting elements forming respective wedge members which are of a size and said worm gears and said spindle means being of a construction such that despite different points of engagement of said wedge members with the associated rocker arms a synchronous course of movement of said roll disks will be achieved for obtaining a predetermined roll disk clearance.

8. In a rolling mill, in particular for use in connection with wire manufacturing, having a mounting stand, re-

spective drive shafts carried by said stand for imparting rotation to roll shafts on which a pair of-roll disks are mounted, respectively; the combination of first and second rocker arms mounted for pivotal movement about said drive shafts, a respective set of gear means on said drive shafts and said roll shafts, so that said gear means remain always engaged with each other, during movement of the rocker arms above said drive shafts, a plurality of setting elements operatively acting on said first and second rocker arms to adjust the latter at respective predetermined positions to each other and with respect to said roll disks for achieving roll gap clearance between said roll disks, and respective operable means carried by said mounting stand for moving said setting elements for said roll gap clearance, said operable means including rotatable spindle means, transmission means in mesh with said spindle means, said setting elements being of a size and said transmission means and said spindle means being of a construction such that despite different points of engagement of said setting means with the associated rocker arms a synchronous course of movement of said roll disks will result for obtaining a predetermined roll disk clearance.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,477,268 11/1969 Schiiffmann 72245 3,491,571 1/1970 OBrien 72--244 FOREIGN PATENTS 875,035 3/ 1953 Germany.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner B. J. MUSTAIKIS, Assistant Examiner 

